30 September 2016

NC-212i of the PAF (photo : pdff)State-owned aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) has denied media reports that delays to two light utility turboprop transport aircraft on order for the Philippine Air Force (PAF) stem from manufacturer faults.The Philippine government awarded a contract for two NC212i aircraft to PTDI in 2014 and was originally scheduled to receive the platforms in mid-2016."The two platforms are ready and have been completed according to manufacturing schedule," said Teguh Gratio, an area sales manager for PTDI, in a meeting with IHS Jane's at the ADAS 2016 exhibition in Manila. "However, there has been a delay in the integration and certification of the aircraft's auto-pilot system."(Jane's)

Rafael Spike N-LOS (photo : Jane's)Israeli company Rafael has recently boosted its presence in the Philippine defence market significantly and is looking for further opportunities to supply its systems to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Haim Jacobovitz, the company's vice president for international marketing, told IHS Jane's on 28 September.

Spike ER missile (photo : i-hls)Speaking at the Asian Defence and Security 2016 (ADAS 2016) exhibition in Manila, Jacobovitz confirmed that the company has, in the past two years, secured a range of orders from the Philippine Navy (PN) to supply its Mini-Typhoon 12.7 mm lightweight naval machine gun mount, its Spike-ER (extended range) missile system, and its Spike-NLOS (non-line-of-sight) missile system.(Jane's)

Its commissioning today, held in conjunction with the turn-ops parade of the SAFARI WLR Detachment from 24 SA, marks a milestone in the Singapore Artillery’s 3rd Generation Transformation!Chief of Army, MG Melvyn Ong, emphasised that the successful operationalisation of the SAFARI enables the Army to “leverage on technological advancements to enhance our capabilities while right sizing manpower demands”.

With the introduction of the SAFARI WLR, the battery size will be reduced from the usual 18 men crew to 11 men. The newest early warning technology of the SAFARI will also“strengthen our networked sense and strike capabilities” and ensure that our troops “will be better protected, more efficient and deadlier in the battlefield”.(The Singapore Army)

Thales is marketing the Starstreak to the Philippines, following its successes in Southeast Asia. (photo : maxdefense)Thales sees "lots of potential" in the Philippines for its Starstreak high velocity missile air defence system, Mick Oliver, the company's business development director for advanced weapon systems, told IHS Jane's at the Asian Defence and Security 2016 (ADAS 2016) exhibition in Manila.The French defence company has in recent years secured sales of its air defence systems to several countries in Southeast Asia. This success is seen as a reflection of the strategic concerns in the region, where territorial tensions are increasing.Thales air defence customers in the region include the Malaysian Army and Royal Thai Army, which have procured the Starstreak systems, and the Indonesian Army, which has acquired the company's Forceshield integrated air defence system, which comprises several Thales technologies including the Starstreak, the Controlmaster 200 radar and weapon co-ordination system, the Rapidranger mobile fire-control system, and the Lightweight Multiple Launcher system.(Jane's)

Indonesian hospital ship based on Makassar Class LPD (photo : beritasatu)After purchasing two Strategic Sealift Vessel (SSV) warships from PT PAL Indonesia, the Philippine government is considering putting in another order for a medical support vessel from Indonesia’s state-owned shipbuilder.During the 2016 Asian Defense & Security (ADAS) exhibition in Manila, Philippine Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana held a discussion with Brig. Gen. Jan Pieter Ate from the Indonesian ADAS delegation on Indonesian defense products.“The Secretary of National Defense and the Philippines Navy chief of staff are impressed with the medical support vessel that will be fit for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations,” Jan Pieter, the Defense Ministry’s director of the defense industry and technology, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.According to Jan Pieter, the Philippine secretary of defense had shown a deep interest in the 123-meter vessel and spent a lot of time looking at the vessel’s mock-up.It was reported that the Philippines had also put in an order for the CN235-200 and N212i aircraft from state-owned airplane maker PT Dirgantara Indonesia in 2015.The three-day ADAS 2016 exhibition ends on Friday.According to its official website, ADAS 2016 attracts exhibitors from around the world and works closely with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).(The Jakarta Post)

Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP announced today that Defence has signed a contract that will provide Australian soldiers with a back-pack electronic surveillance system.Mr Pyne said the acquisition contract signed with Victorian company Chemring Australia is valued at $18 million and will supply up to 50 back-pack electronic surveillance systems to be delivered during the first 18 months of the contract.“These new back-pack based systems will detect, identify and determine the direction of communication signals in the field and provide that information to other electronic warfare command units,” Minister Pyne said.“This replacement of an obsolete system as part of a wider Army electronic warfare capability upgrade will significantly improve the Army’s situational awareness in the field.

“The state of the art system will enable soldiers in the field to perform electronic surveillance operations and network with other Australian Defence Force electronic warfare capabilities.“The system use the assault back-packs designed by Army’s innovative Diggerworks. The transport and storage systems for the new back-pack systems will be provided by Victorian company Trimcast Pty Ltd”.Mr Pyne said Chemring Australia will assemble the electronic surveillance back-pack system in their facilities in Victoria, using this opportunity to grow their skills in electronic warfare through the development and support of the capability.“When all systems are delivered, approximately one million dollars will be spent locally on sustainment activities per year, with around fifty per cent of the $28 million total life-time program cost being spent in Australia.” Mr Pyne said.(Aus DoD)

New model of 4x4 from Kia motor (photo : Shephard)KIA displays new 4x4Christened the Kia Light Tactical Vehicle (KLTV) for export markets, Alan Lee, assistant manager of Kia’s special vehicle export team, said he hoped that this family of armour-protected vehicles would attract attention from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).With the AFP facing ever more dangerous threats such as improvised explosive devices in the southern Philippines and elsewhere, protecting troops is an important priority.The KLTV weighs 5.7t and it is powered by a 2,959cc, six-cylinder diesel engine. Kia has already started production of the indigenous LTV for the Republic of Korea Army, and Lee said contracts may soon emerge in Africa too.Kia Motors is the primary supplier of new vehicles to the Philippines, with Lee saying more than 2,000 vehicles had been provided to date.

Kia Light Tactical Vehicle (photo : Kia)Numerically the most numerous model supplied to the AFP is the 1.25t KM450 4x4 vehicle. A Philippine Army spokesman provided further details on the variants obtained to date. The army alone has inducted 1,595 examples of the KM450, 120 KM451 ambulances and two KM452 communications vans.In addition, the army has received 250 examples of the KM250 2.5t 6x6 truck and six KM500 5t 6x6 trucks as tractors for artillery pieces. The army also has 12 KM500-series prime movers and trailers for the transportation of heavy equipment.It is quite likely the AFP will place further truck orders given the elderly state of the AFP fleet. The inventory is mostly based on types such as the M35 that are in service throughout the archipelago.(Shephard)

Saab is opening an office in the Philippines to pursue an opportunity for the Gripen. (photo : USAF)Saab is to open an office in Manila by the end of 2016 to support the company's campaign to sell its JAS 39 Gripen fighter aircraft to the Philippine Air Force (PAF), an official from the Swedish company told I HS Jane's on 28 September.Speaking on the opening day of the Asian Defence and Security 2016 (ADAS 2016) exhibition in Manila, Carl-Erik Leek, Saab's executive vice-president in the Asia Pacific, said the new office would be the centre of the company's marketing activities in the country.At present, these are undertaken from Saab's regional headquarters in Thailand, although the company does not currently have a major presence, in terms of previous defence sales, in the Philippine market.The new office will also be supported by the Swedish government's intention, announced in December 2015, to open an embassy in Manila to support growth in bilateral trade and investment. Both Saab's office and the new embassy are expected to be operational by November.Leek, who will head up the new Manila office, said Saab's primary target in the Philippines is the PAF's requirement - outlined in the service's modernisation programme, Flight Plan 2028 - for 12 multirole combat aircraft. "Saab can fulfil the PAF requirement for an affordable fighter aircraft," said Leek. "We think we are a strong contender."He added that the offer would include a package of support systems, similar to the capabilities that Saab has supplied the Royal Thai Air Force, which procured 12 Gripen C/D aircraft ordered in two phases in 2008 and 2010, with deliveries completed in 2013. "[The PAF offer] will be a whole system including ground infrastructure, an integrated command-and-control system, sensors, and datalinks," he said.In addition, Leek highlighted opportunities for Saab to meet Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) requirements for naval systems - such as combat management systems - radars and air defence.(Jane's)

SharpEye radar at Port of Kuala Perlis (photo : Kelvin Hughes)Growing Demand for Sharpeye VTS RradarFollowing the successful installation of three of its VTS systems in Malaysia, Kelvin Hughes is experiencing growing demand throughout South East Asia for its solid-state SharpEye™ radar technology for vessel traffic and coastal surveillance applications.The Marine Department of Malaysia selected the Kelvin Hughes SBS-800-2

Upmast X-Band SharpEye™ system to ensure the safe entry and exit, management and monitoring of passenger ferries and other vessels within the ports of Kuala Perlis, Kuala Kedah & Kuah. Kelvin Hughes supplied the systems through SAAB TransponderTech AB and Greenfinder Sdn Bhd.The SBS-800 range of radar systems are designed to align with the 'Basic', 'Standard' and 'Advanced' capability types of IALA V-128. With their patented SharpEye™ technology, they transmit a low power pulse sequence which enables short, medium and long range radar returns to be detected simultaneously.

SharpEye radar at Port of Kuala Kedah (photo : Kelvin Hughes)Doppler processing of the radar returns provides coherent information concerning target velocity and enables the detection of very small and slow moving objects with a low Radar Cross Section (RCS). Through a series of electronic filters, the system is able to distinguish between targets of interest and sea, rain and land clutter.In addition, with no magnetron required for the system, maintenance costs are significantly reduced.Hamzah Akhbar, Regional Sales Manager for Kelvin Hughes, commented: “The success of our VTS radar in these three important Malaysian ports has clearly demonstrated the superior detection and tracking performance of SharpEye™ technology, particularly in adverse weather conditions where safety can’t be compromised. In response to the demand, we’re looking forward to the opportunity to enhance maritime safety and port security at other sites throughout the region.”(Kelvin Hughes)

Korean model frigate (photo : Military Review)MANILA (PNA) -- The contract for the Philippine Navy's two missile-armed frigates is now being finalized, Department of National Defense (DND) public affairs office chief Arsenio Andolong said Monday.Once the contract is finalized, it will be signed by DND Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and the duly authorized representative of the winning proponent, Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), he added."Notice of Award (NOA) was formally served to HHI last Aug. 4. Once the formal contract is signed, it will be followed by a Notice to Proceed, which will be formally served to the proponent," Andolong said."NOA was given to HHI as GRSE (Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd) was post-disqualified after it was determined that their Net Financial Capacity was insufficient and therefore not in compliance with Republic Act 9184 (Government Procurement Policy Board)," he added.GRSE along with HHI was one of the six proponents in the DND's frigate program.In the NOA, HHI offered PHP15,744,571,884 for the two frigates.The DND has allocated the sum of PHP18 billion for the acquisition of two missile-capable frigates, with PHP16 billion going to the construction of the ships and PHP2 billion for its munitions.The ships will be armed with a variety of sensors and weapons capable of detecting and neutralizing air, surface, and submarine threats.It will be also capable of electronic warfare.Aside from this, the frigates, according to their technical specifications, must be capable of performing extended maritime patrol with an embarked naval helicopter and maritime surveillance through air-and-surface-search radar, sound navigation and ranging (sonar) for sub-surface search.It will be armed and fitted a variety of air-to-air, anti-ship, and anti-submarine weapons. (PNA)

27 September 2016

Type 26 Global Combat Ship (image : BAE Systems)BAE Systems has declared that it intends to open up the supply chain for the UK’s Type 26 Global Combat Ship program, with 150 Australian companies set to pitch their products and services.BAE Systems together with 20 of its major suppliers, including Rohde & Schwarz, Rolls-Royce, David Brown Santasalo, L-3 and Babcock, will be in Canberra to meet Australian SMEs over the next two days.As well as having an opportunity to meet with BAE Systems and its suppliers, SMEs will hear from companies that have been successful in securing global defence contracts and learn more about what it takes to be part of a global supply chain, BAE Systems Australia stated.“Australian SMEs have an extraordinary reputation for being innovative, agile and cost-competitive, which is why some of the world’s biggest companies are here to engage with and understand the capability that Australian companies can bring to this important program,” said Fran Murphy, director for strategy and business development at BAE Systems Australia.“Securing work on a project the size and scale of the UK’s Type 26 to be built for the Royal Navy would position any Australian business well for future opportunities. The Global Combat Ship has been designed for export, and is currently being offered to Australia and other nations around the world.”BAE Systems with the Type 26 is up against Fincantieri and Navantia in the race to provide the design for the Future Frigates. BAE Systems has signed a contract with the Commonwealth to further refine its design.(ADBR)

Duterte plans to purchase night attack helicopters and patrol boats for the AFP (photo : Max Bryansky)MOSCOW is planning to donate or loan military equipment and technology to Manila, only days after President Rodrigo Duterte said he would go to Russia or China if the United States did not like his “dirty mouth.”Ambassador to Russia Carlos Sorreta announced the plan after he met with Russian officials over how the two countries could boost trade and security cooperation as Duterte discussed with Russian Ambassador Igor Khovaev last May.At the same time, the US State Department also announced on Saturday that Washington approved the release of $6.725 million (more than P300 million) from the $32 million fund that US State Secretary John Kerry pledged during his visit to Manila last July.Sorreta said the plan to donate or loan military equipment was discussed when he and vice consul Luningning Camoying were briefed by officials of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC).The FSMTC is a federal agency directly under the Office of the President of the Russian Federation responsible for control and oversight in the field of military-technical cooperation between the Russian Federation and foreign countries.Russian officials who hosted the briefing are First Department on Military and Technical Cooperation with Foreign States chief Serggey Buganov; and Section on Military-Technical Cooperation with Countries of the Asia-Pacific Region chief Valery Orel.“We welcomed the briefing, which was quite revealing, particularly the extent that Russia is able to interact with a large number of countries in this field and the different mechanisms that are employed, including acquisition and transfer of Russian military equipment,” Soretta said.“This is all part of our job to explore opportunities that could contribute to our government’s efforts to modernize our defense capabilities,” Sorreta said.Aside from the military equipment and technology, Sorreta said Russia is also willing to provide training, after-sales service and maintenance, transfer of technology, investment in domestic military production and servicing and different modes of financing.Sorreta and Camoying were briefed after a similar meeting between a Department of National Defense delegation, led by Undersecretary for Finance and Materiel Raymundo de Vera Elefante, and Russian defense officials including officials of the FSMTC.The talks with Russia developed after Duterte met with Russian Ambassador Khovaev, who met with Duterte in Davao City a few days after the May 9 elections.Khovaev said he was impressed by Duterte during a “very productive” meeting where they discussed how to jump-start Philippine-Russian relations which officially started only in 1976.Khovaev said that it was “time for Russians to discover the Philippines, and it is time for the Philippines to discover Russia,” adding that strengthened trade cooperation could begin before the end of this year.The Russian envoy said there is much potential in the two country’s bilateral ties because “there were no disputes and no contradictions” and only develop “cooperation in practical terms.”Meanwhile, the US, through State Assistant Secretary for international narcotics and law enforcement William Brownfield the $6.7 million fund was meant to boost law enforcement in the Philippines.In an interview with online news site Rappler, Brownfield said the fund was part of the $32 million that Kerry pledged for law enforcement training and services. US State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs said that $4.665 million of the larger amount “is set to be transferred soon, via an Interagency Agreement, from INL to the US Coast Guard.”This funding aims “to support maritime security in the Philippines.”“There is additional money which was previously appropriated by Congress for use in the Philippines, but no decisions have to be made on that funding’s use until next year,” Rappler quoted the INL as saying.(Manila Standard)

Rafale multi-role fighter (photo : the Avionist)Fresh from signing a contract to supply 36 Dassault Rafale jets to India, France is looking at Malaysia as the next possible buyer of its multi-role fighter.Malaysia and Canada have competitions to acquire new fighter aircraft in which Dassault is a bidder but Dassault CEO Eric Trappier is more optimistic on the Asian country. Talking about the chances of the Rafale in future competitions where it would up against the American fighter jets such as the F-16 and F/A-18 Super Hornet, Trappier was quoted as saying by a French publication, Challenges, “we are not like America, we have to build a good plane.”Reading between the lines of Trappier’s statement, is an admission of American political pressure for countries to buy its aircraft and that for the French to compete in such an environment their aircraft has to be better than the competition.The Malaysian procurement is considered a good opportunity by Boeing which manufactures the F/A-18. Malaysia is retiring older versions of F/A-18s in service with its Air Force. Saab which has sold its Gripen fighters to Thailand is also considered a good bet especially when it beat the French in the deal to sell jets to Brazil.Regarding Canada, which re-opened the competition after public pressure to reject the super-expensive F-35, the French are not so optimistic given ‘American pressure’ on its northern neighbour. Canada has invited Eurofighter, Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Dassault to bid for its fighter acquisition program.But many industry pundits expect the ultimate winner to be an American plane.However, the Indian contract would give an advantage to Dassault like none other. A French diplomat was quoted as saying in a French publication, Le Maghreb, "the Indians are downright formidable as negotiators," meaning that the aircraft and the terms of purchase are the only issues that mattered in the negotiations. Unlike in many other defence deals all around the world where bilateral relations and political groups (NATO countries buying only from fellow NATO countries) matter more than the technical merits of the equipment.(DefenseWorld)